A SPECIALIST nursing team are encouraging people across the North East to make their organ donation decision known and share it with their loved ones as Organ Donation Week gets underway.
‘Wey aye, I donate’ – adapted from the national ‘yes I donate’ NHS Blood and Transplant campaign – aims to highlight the life-saving impact of organ donation and encourage more people to record and discuss their wishes.
As home to one of the country’s leading transplant centres, Newcastle Hospitals sees first-hand the difference organ donation makes to patients and their families.
Every year, organ transplants save and transform thousands of lives across the UK. However, more than 8,000 people are currently waiting for a transplant, and more than 400 people died in the past year before a suitable organ became available.
Throughout this week (21 to 28 September), we will be sharing stories from transplant recipients, donor families and healthcare professionals to raise awareness of the vital role organ donation plays in giving patients a second chance at life.
The campaign’s key message is simple, whatever your decision about organ donation, make sure your loved ones know it.
Dominic Manning, specialist nurse in organ donation said: “Organ donation changes and saves lives and leaves a lasting legacy for the families of those that go on to be organ donors. Organ donation is rare so it’s important that as many people sign the organ donor register as possible.
“9 people die each week waiting for a transplant and each donor could save up to 9 lives. It only takes two minutes but means that you could save someone’s life, so please confirm your decision on the organ donor register and let your families know what your decision is.”
Organ donation offers hope to people living with life-limiting illness and can transform the lives of those awaiting a transplant. Organs that can be donated include the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas and small bowel, while donated tissue can help restore sight, support recovery and improve quality of life for many others. Registering a decision and sharing it with loved ones can help ensure those wishes are understood and respected.
People who wish to be an organ donor are encouraged to record their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register, which remains the clearest way to make their wishes known.
Specialist nurses for organ donation can only access this information when end-of-life care has begun.
For more information, or to record your organ donation decision, visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.
